Establish a Premier Crime Scene Investigation Program

Weber State University has been teaching forensic science since the 1970s, including creating the first multi-agency crime scene unit in Utah, the Weber Metro CSI. The present CSI program is run by faculty with more than 65 years of combined experience in CSI, photography, fingerprint analysis, and other forensic disciplines, and regularly brings in adjunct faculty from surrounding agencies.

As the practice of forensic science becomes more complex and specialized, law enforcement agencies need to hire employees who have been trained in scientific crime scene investigation methods. Employment of forensic science technicians is projected to grow 11 percent from 2021 to 2031.

The College of Social Sciences & Education is expanding WSU’s present CSI program to create a premier program for Utah and beyond. We launched an updated curriculum in fall 2025, hired two individuals from the CSI industry who will bring their expertise and experience to teaching/mentoring roles, and created a dedicated facility for crime scene processing and reconstruction exercises.

Funding Priorities

With additional funding, we can enhance our state-of-the-art training equipment and facilities, as well as provide financial support and internship and research opportunities for students pursuing a degree in crime scene investigation.

  • Dedicated CSI house for training and exercises: $250,000 to finish remodeling and equip this new, realistic training facility on WSU’s Ogden campus.
  • Next-generation CSI equipment: $230,000 to purchase computers, laser scanners, and other training equipment.
  • Endowment for student support: $550,000 to provide scholarships for junior and senior CSI students, support student travel for trainings or conferences, and create outreach events to raise awareness of the CSI program in local schools.

Wildcat Spotlight

Nick Jensen

“Getting experience in a more realistic space is really helpful in bridging the gap between the academic and the practical,” said Nick Jensen, a senior criminal justice major with a focus in CSI.

He would know. As a detective in the Davis County Sheriff’s Office crime lab for the past eight years, Nick has been the lead investigator on more than 400 crime scenes.

When he decided to earn a degree related to his career, he looked for a program that would expand on his on-the-job training and experience. At WSU, he found a CSI faculty with more than 65 combined years of teaching or working in the field.

WSU’s instructors “have both lab-heavy experience and field experience, which makes it a powerful program,” he said. “Learning from people who’ve done this for decades, people who understand the job, is really helpful. They’re hitting on the things that matter, and they’re hitting on the importance of doing things the right way every time.”

Support the CSI program by making a gift today.

To learn more about the CSI program, contact a Weber State University development director.